While Sunday will be a calm day in the Chicago area, this week will bring chances of near-record heat and the threat of severe weather as well.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, Sunday will likely be cooler across the area, with highs in the upper-70s and into the low-80s. Readings will be much cooler near Lake Michigan, with highs struggling to reach 70 degrees near the water.
A few chances of isolated showers will be possible south of Interstate 80 as a frontal boundary sits just to the south of the Kankakee River Valley, according to forecast models.
Winds will shift out of the southwest heading into Monday, setting the stage for a warm, humid and potentially stormy series of weather events in coming days. High temperatures will soar into the mid-to-upper 80s on Monday, with heat indices threatening to eclipse 90 degrees.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, most of the Chicago area will also be at a marginal risk of severe weather on Monday, with gusty winds and heavy rain the most likely threats from those storms.
Tuesday will once again see temperatures in the upper-80s, and while it remains unlikely, the record high temperature for Tuesday’s date is 92 degrees, meaning that the city could at least threaten that mark.
A higher risk of severe weather is being forecasted by the Storm Prediction Center, with most of the area at a “slight risk” of severe storms. In fact, portions of DeKalb and LaSalle counties are at an “enhanced” risk of severe weather, though the worst of the storms are expected to impact areas of western Illinois.
Local
The timing of the arrival of a cold front will help to influence the development of storms, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team. A late arrival would put the system in the area around the midnight hour Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, which would not favor the development of powerful storms. An earlier arrival could spark those severe storms, with gusty winds, hail and heavy rain again the main threats.
After a chance of showers early Wednesday in association with that storm system, temperatures will cool to their regular seasonal levels for several days, with highs in the mid-70s across the region.
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In fact, those temperatures will likely stick around for a while, with several chances of rain through Memorial Day weekend.
